I'm Penny (she/her) and I've been running with Glasgow FrontRunners for over 5 years. In this time, I've become a Jog Leader, volunteered on the committee 3 times (currently Run Captain) and at the moment I'm in the middle of getting my Coaching licence. Running is one of my favourite things to do and when I run with the club I feel safe and confident. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for when I'm running alone...

Harassment during a run is something that is sadly very common for most female runners. For myself, it's spanned from getting shouted or honked at, to getting spat on or having a bottle thrown at me. According to a study by Runners World, most forms of verbal harassment are sexist comments, someone repeatedly trying to talk to you and body shaming. They also found that 22% of harassment include comments about someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity. As well as verbal abuse, people have also received physical abuse such as unwanted physical contact and in extreme cases there are reports of women being attacked and killed.

During the summer months harassment on runs can be an almost daily occurrence for myself and 90% of the time it appears to come from men. I don't know who these men are, in fact, when I mention it to the wonderful lads at Glasgow FrontRunners, they are shocked and appalled that this happens and some of them have also spoken out about being victims of this behaviour themselves.

Don't get me wrong, I will always appreciate an "Oan yersel Hen", a cheery wave or even a "Run Forrest Run" from a member of the public but even living in one of the friendliest cities in the world this is far less common than the negative comments I receive.

When abuse is shouted at me, I hear stories from others or in the news I get quite upset, scared but mostly angry. Although it will never stop me from running, I do have to take certain things into account when I’m heading out for a run. Firstly, think about where I run and stick to safe and busy routes. I make sure I can hear what goes on around me, as well as who's around me by wearing bone conducting headphones (unfortunately, this also means I can also hear the groups of blokes shouting at me from the window of their white van). I try to not run in the dark alone which, during the long Scottish winter, proves difficult. If I do run in the dark, I stick to main roads and carry a personal alarm. Even Charlotte Purdue (GB Marathon Runner) stated she now runs on the treadmill rather than running in the dark due to the risks. In the past I used to be very conscious about what I wore on a run, these days, less so. I've come to realise that the body shaming will be there whether I'm wearing a full tracksuit or my favourite rainbow shorts and let's be honest, the shorts are much more fun to wear. 

So what can we do about it? Educate those around you. If you see this behaviour happening from someone you know let them know that it's not okay. Remind them it could be their own sister, partner or mother whose getting abuse hurled at them and encourage them to step up and stop others they know from doing the same.

Secondly, public sexual harassment isn't a crime in the UK but a campaign by Our Streets Now and Plan International UK are aiming to make it a punishable offence. You can sign the petition here, every little helps.

Finally, remember it's not your fault. You don't deserve to receive abuse while out doing any form of exercise and it is completely the attacker who is the problem. So wear those rainbow short shorts and that bright orange sports bra and shake your jiggly bits when your favourite song comes through your headphones or whenever and wherever the moment takes you.

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This week, we're also celebrating IWD to raise money for Refuweegee, which is a Glasgow based charity that welcomes people to Glasgow and the rest of Scotland who have been forcibly displaced from all over the world. Our JustGiving Page is here: